A chronicle of the Kings of England, from the time of the Romans goverment [sic] unto the raigne of our soveraigne lord, King Charles containing all passages of state or church, with all other observations proper for a chronicle / faithfully collected out of authours ancient and moderne, & digested into a new method ; by Sr. R. Baker, Knight.

Of his Taxations.

IN no Kings reigne was ever more Parliaments for the time, nor fewer Sub∣sidies; the greatest was in his last yeere, when yet there was but one Subsi∣die, with two fifteenes and tenths granted by the Temporalty, and a Subside by the Clergie. And indeed to shew how loath this King was to lay Impositions upon his people, this may be a sufficient argument; that though he were much in debt, yet he chose rather to deale with the Foulker in the Low-Countries for money upon loane, at the interest of fourteene pounds for a hundred, for a yeere. But his wayes for raising of money, was by selling of Chantrie Lands and Houses, given him by Parliament; and by inquiring after all Church∣goods, either remaining in Cathedrall and Parish-Churches, or embezeled a∣way, as Jewels, gold and silver, Chalices, ready money, Copes, and other Vest∣ments; reserving to every Church one Challice, and one covering for the Com∣munion-Table, the rest to be applied to his benefit. He also raised money by enquiring after offences of Officers in great places; in which inquirie, one Bea∣mont

Master of the Rolles, being convinced of many crimes, surrendred all his Offices, Lands and Goods into the Kings hands: also one Whalley Receiver of Yorkeshire, being found a delinquent, surrendred his Office, and payed a great fine besides: also the Lord Paget, Chancellour of the Dutchie, convinced, that he had sold the Kings Lands and Timber-woods without Commission, and had applied the Kings Fines to his owne use; for these and other offences, sur∣rendred his Office, and was fined at foure thousand pounds, which he payed in hand. One thing more was done in his time for raising of money; twenty thousand pounds weight of Bullion, was appointed to be made so much ba∣ser, that the King might gaine thereby a hundred and forty thousand pounds.